Is something missing from Lionel C&A Pacific?

Some Locomotive designs put appliances there, some didn't.

According to all of the images that I can find, there should be no equipment at the base of the smokebox on the Alton locomotive.

 

 

From the front, it should look something like this.

 

 

And from a contemporary picture promoting the Alton Limited.

 

 

 

Not sure it if is prototypically correct, but it is what it is.  It's worth noting that, although offered on the same page and at the same price, the Blue Comet and the C&A Alton have different castings - shells -  and lengths.  The  Blue Comet loco itself is  about 1/2 inch longer than the C&A (most of that addiitonal in the firebox area) but has a tender that is about 1/2 inch shorter than the Altons, so its the same overall length.  But my point is it is a different loco altogether so no doubt has lots of differences about equipment and where that is located.  Locos just differed, and the Alton apparently did not have that device, "whatever it were."

Were these supposed to have whistle smoke?

The equipment on the Blue Comet model to which you're referring is apparatus for a cab signal system required for operation over the New York & Long Branch Railroad. The Blue Comet was routed via the NY&LB for part of its trip between Jersey City and Atlantic City so its locomotives had to be equipped with cab signalling capability.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Bob   

The Internet shall provide:

Image: Richard Leonard's Steam Locomotive Archive

http://www.railarchive.net/rlsteam/index.html

 

Rusty

OK, this stuff I know about.

 

1 - The -photo- is of a later, modified freight version of the Alton heavy P-16 Pacific. They

looked like this right before the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio bought the Alton. They were re-

lettered GM&O. The pilot deck by this time was sporting the compressor behind a

shield (the horizontal mounting was unusual); before, it had been on the fireman's (left)

side of the loco.

 

2 - the Lionel loco (I have the earlier TMCC version) is a good emulation, but not

an overly accurate model, of the earlier Chicago & Alton Pacific (the RR shortened

its name to "Alton" before it disappeared into the GM&O after WWII).

 

The "blank" pilot deck is correct so far as it goes; when these locos were still "C&A",

the compressor was not yet on the deck.

 

Though not overly accurate, Lionel got several of the features correct on this loco; it

is also drop-dead gorgeous - overly accurate or not, I love mine.

 

BTW, MTH also offered its interpretation of both the Alton and GM&O versions of this

same loco. It's not accurate either (paint scheme is, though), being essentially a

USRA Pacific. Yes, I have it, too (and I've "corrected" some of the details.)

 

MTH also offered the GM&O scheme in a RK loco; for a loco so often

modeled, you'd think that one of them would be accurate. But, no.

Yes, the new release did.

I have both the Legacy Southern Crescent and the Blue Comet from last year's release, the top photo below shows both (the SC has been repainted and relabeled UP) and shows two things:a) the difference in castings and length of the locos I mentioned earlier, and b) the amount of "stuff" - feedwater heaters, pipes, etc., that is attached to both.  I bought the SC specifically because it was loaded down with attached "stuff" which gives is a very industrial look that I love, particularly when repainted black.  But note in the lower photo that it has nothing underneath the boiler front - just like the Alton.  Neither, for that matter, does the BC - it just has the box slightly out front.

When I looked at the posted video it did not appear as if there was smoke coming from the whistle. Maybe I'll search You Tube for other videos.

I have the C&A engine and yes it has whistle smoke, works great. 

The new Crescent Limited also has whistle smoke.

 

Doug

Before the GM&O took over the Alton, It was owned by the B&O, which supplied much of the Alton's motive power.

You're right, it could use some prototype details instead of looking like blunt ends of plastic parts with a mounting post up the center. If there are no "appliances" to fill the space it should have other authentic-looking details. It's a good-looking loco otherwise IMO.

 

It seems to me that there has to be something there to make details of.  Apparently, on at least some of the prototypes, there was not much there that isn't modeled on the Alton model.  The detail on the model seems fairly consistent with other Lionel models and what is actually there on most of the pictures of the Alton loco above.  However, Rustry Track's posting above shows in a photo something that looks alot like the equipment mounted there on the blue comet.  I suppose if one wanted you could scratch build the type of "thing" shown in that photo (no doubt a bit of research would uncover more photos of it) but I think the area looks good as is (that area of my Southern Crescent is basically the same, since it has nothing there, either - and I'm okay with it).

It could be made to look like real cylinder castings, or anything but smooth plastic, when there aren't other appliances in that conspicuous space. I'm a mechanic, so I notice those things.

 

Found photo of prototype.  It looks a lot like the model.  There isn't much in the way of auxiliary equipment/detail.  Photo is in "American Passenger Trains and Locomotives Illustrated", Mark Wegmen, pages 31-33.

I really think that is just how the C&A Pacifics were.  Some model locos look "plain" because the prototype was, for example the Lionel 0-4-0 Shifter. There just wasn't much there other than a very basic steam loco, so it looks almost naked, but that's how they were.